Immunotherapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: case report and literature review

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common type of liver malignancy and one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. In the Russian Federation, according to statistical reports, there is also an increase in the incidence. For over 10 years, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor sorafenib has been the only approved treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Lenvatinib was registered as the second drug for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the first line. In the era of checkpoint inhibitors, the possibility of such therapy in the first and subsequent lines of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma remains relevant. The combination of atezolizumab with bevacizumab in a phase III study (IMbrave150) improved treatment outcomes such as overall survival and progression-free survival. The results of the phase III randomized trial IMbrave 150 showed undoubtedly better efficacy of the atezolizumab + bevacizumab combination compared to sorafenib in terms of a median progression-free survival of 6.8 vs 4.3 months. The above clinical observation demonstrates the result of treatment of a patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with a combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab. After verification of the diagnosis, since January 2021, therapy with a combination of atezolizumab 1200 mg, bevacizumab 15 mg/kg was started with an interval of 21 days.

At present, 20 courses of therapy have been carried out in this regimen, and the stabilization of the disease is maintained. Against the background of the ongoing therapy, no adverse events were noted, including immune-mediated ones that required the abolition or reduction of doses of drugs. In the above clinical observation, a patient with severe comorbidity achieved stabilization of the disease in the first three months of therapy. Combination therapy showed a favorable tolerability profile.

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